The Gram Schmidt Process for Orthonormal Basis

The Gram Schmidt Process and Formulas

The Gram Schmidt process is used to produce an Orthonormal Basis for a subspace.
Given a basis Basis A of Subspace V for subspace V , the basis Basis B where
Definition of Basis B
is an orthogonal basis for the subspace V .
Span A = Span B
The orthonormal basis Y0 is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis Y by its norm.

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Examples with Solutions

Example 1
Subspace \( V \) is defined by span\( \{\textbf{v}_1 , \textbf{v}_2 \} \) where \( \textbf{v}_1 \) and \(\textbf{v}_2 \) are column vectors given by
\( \textbf{v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \) and \( \textbf{v}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \)
Use the Gram Schmidt process defined above to determine an orthonormal basis \( Y_O \) for \( V \)

Solution to Example 1
Let \( Y = \{ \textbf{y}_1 , \textbf{y}_2 \} \) be the orthogonal basis to determine. According to the fomrmulas above, we write
\( \textbf {y}_1 = \textbf {v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \)

\( \textbf {y}_2 = \textbf {v}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 \)
Evaluate the inner product in the numerator and denominator
\( \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} = \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} }{ \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} } = \dfrac{-10}{5} = -2\)
Substitute the above and evaluate \( \textbf {y}_2 \)
\( \textbf {y}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} - (-2) \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \)

Hence \( Y = \left \{\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \right \} \)
The orthonormal basis \( Y_O \) is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis \( Y \) by its norm.
\( Y_O = \left \{ \dfrac{1}{\sqrt 3}\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{4} \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \right \} \)


Note that
1) \( Y = \{ \textbf {y}_1 , \textbf {y}_2 \} \) is a basis for \( V \) because it is a linear combination of \( \textbf {v}_1 \) and \( \textbf {v}_2 \).
We know that \( y_1 = v_1 \) and it can easily be shown that \( y_2 = 2 v_1 + v_2 \)
Hence span \( \{ \textbf {v}_1, \textbf{v}_2 \} \) = span \( \{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2 \} \)
2) the inner product of \( \textbf {y}_1 \) and \( \textbf {y}_2 \) given by \( \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} = 0 \) means that \( \textbf {y}_1 \) and \( \textbf {y}_2 \) are orthogonal and hence \( Y \) is an orthogonal basis for \( V \)



Example 2
Subspace \( V \) is defined by span\( \{\textbf{v}_1 , \textbf{v}_2 , \textbf{v}_3 , \textbf{v}_4\} \) where
\( \textbf{v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \) , \( \textbf{v}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \) , \( \textbf{v}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \) , \( \textbf{v}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \)
Use the Gram Schmidt process defined above to determine an orthonormal basis \( Y_O \) for \( V \)

Solution to Example 2
Let \( Y = \{\textbf{y}_1,\textbf{y}_2,\textbf{y}_3,\textbf{y}_4\} \) be the orthogonal basis to determine. Using the fomrmulas above, we write
\( \textbf {y}_1 = \textbf {v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \)

\( \textbf {y}_2 = \textbf {v}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 \)
Evaluate the inner product in the numerator and denominator
\( \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} = \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} }{ \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} } = \dfrac{2}{19} \)
Substitute the above and evaluate \( \textbf {y}_2 \)
\( \textbf {y}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{2}{19} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ -\frac{6}{19}\end{bmatrix} \)
Note that if we mutliply \( \textbf{y}_2 \) by any number not equal to zero, it would not change the basis. Hence multiply \( \textbf{y}_2 \) by \( \dfrac{19}{3} \) and simplify to
\( \textbf{y'}_2 = \dfrac{19}{3} \begin{bmatrix} \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ -\frac{6}{19}\end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \)
We now use vector \( \textbf {y'}_2 \) instead of \( \textbf {y}_2 \) in the formulas for \( \textbf {y}_3 \).

\( \textbf {y}_3 = \textbf {v}_3 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_3 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_3 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2}{\textbf {y'}_2 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2} \textbf {y'}_2 \)
Substitute
\( \textbf {y}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} }{\begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} } \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \)

            \( - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} }{\begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} } \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix}\frac{1}{4}\\ \frac{1}{4}\\ -\frac{1}{4}\\ -\frac{1}{4}\\ \frac{1}{2}\end{pmatrix} \)

Multiply \( \textbf {y}_3 \) by 4 to replace it by a vector without fractions.
\( \textbf {y'}_3 = 4 \textbf {y}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}\)

Use \( \textbf {y'}_3 \) instead of \( \textbf {y}_3 \) in the formulas

\( \textbf {y}_4 = \textbf {v}_4 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2}{\textbf {y'}_2 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2} \textbf {y'}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4\cdot \textbf {y'}_3}{\textbf {y'}_3 \cdot \textbf {y'}_3} \textbf {y'}_3 \)

Substitute
\( \textbf {y}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \)

      - \( \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \\ \quad \quad - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix}0\\ 0\\ -\frac{1}{2}\\ \frac{1}{2}\\ 0\end{pmatrix}\)
Multiply \( \textbf {y}_4 \) by 2 to obtain
\( \textbf {y'}_4 = 2 \textbf {y}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix}\)
Hence an orthogonal basis for the subset \( V \) may be written as
\( Y = \left \{ \textbf {y}_1 , \textbf {y'}_2 , \textbf {y'}_3 , \textbf {y'}_4 \right \} = \left \{ \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \right \} \)
The orthonormal basis \( Y_O \) is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis \( Y \) by its norm.
\( Y_O = \left \{ \dfrac{1}{\sqrt {19}} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{2\sqrt{38}} \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{2\sqrt{2}} \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \right \} \)

To check that the basis \( Y \) obtained span that same subspace as the given basis \( V \), we row reduce the matrix
\( \begin{bmatrix} V | Y \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix}-1&1&0&0&-1&7&1&0\\ \:\:\:-1&1&0&0&-1&7&1&0\\ \:\:\:2&1&-1&0&2&5&-1&-1\\ \:\:\:2&1&-1&1&2&5&-1&1\\ \:\:\:3&0&0&1&3&-1&2&0\end{bmatrix} \)
to obtain
\( \begin{bmatrix}1&0&0&0&1&-\frac{1}{3}&\frac{2}{3}&-\frac{2}{3}\\ 0&1&0&0&0&\frac{20}{3}&\frac{5}{3}&-\frac{2}{3}\\ 0&0&1&0&0&1&4&-1\\ 0&0&0&1&0&0&0&2\\ 0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0\end{bmatrix} \)
and conlude from the above that
\( y_1 = v_1 \)
\( y_2 = - \dfrac {1}{3} v_1 + \dfrac{20}{3} v_2 + v_3\)
\( y_3 = \dfrac {2}{3} v_1 + \dfrac{5}{3} v_2 + 4 v_3\)
\( y_4 = - \dfrac {2}{3} v_1 - \dfrac{2}{3} v_2 - v_3 + 2 v_4\)
The above results show that span \( \{ \textbf {v}_1, \textbf{v}_2,\textbf{v}_3 ,\textbf{v}_4 \} \) = span \( \{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2, \textbf{y}_3 , \textbf{y}_3 \} \)
Using the inner product, it can easily be shown that \( Y \) is an orthogonal basis.


More References and links

  1. Vector Spaces - Questions with Solutions
  2. Linear Algebra and its Applications - 5 th Edition - David C. Lay , Steven R. Lay , Judi J. McDonald
  3. Elementary Linear Algebra - 7 th Edition - Howard Anton and Chris Rorres
  4. Introduction to Linear Algebra - Fifth Edition (2016) - Gilbert Strang
  5. Linear Algebra Done Right - third edition, 2015 - Sheldon Axler
  6. Linear Algebra with Applications - 2012 - Gareth Williams